Hello everyone! I’m Shohei.
This column is about what I felt and experienced at a plant factory in Japan.
When you’ve been in the field for over 10 years, a lot of things happen. I write freely about what I remember.
Please feel free to read it while thinking, “Wow, that’s how Japanese plant factories work.”
While running the endurance course at the plant factory, my fatigue reached its peak.
Don’t the words “Shuttle Run” send shivers down your spine?
It’s that hellish endurance race where you run back and forth between two parallel lines spaced 20 meters apart to the sound of a signal. As a member of my school’s basketball club, I’ll never forget the daily shuttle runs that were the bane of my existence.
And as it happens, a certain plant factory was carrying out a task that was reminiscent of this shuttle run.
From the harvesting area to the trimming area, there was a distance of about 30 meters, slightly longer than a shuttle run. However, it was difficult to install a conveyor belt, so the harvested crops had to be transported by hand.
The harvested lettuce was packed into cases, stacked up, loaded onto a cart, and pushed by a worker. The problem was the sheer number of trips required.
Only about 50 to 60 heads of lettuce could be transported per trip.
However, the 10 or more workers performing the trimming needed to process this amount in about 40 seconds. This meant that if the next batch of harvested produce was not supplied within that time, the trimming operation would come to a halt.
In such a situation, the role of the transporter literally became to run back and forth the 30-meter distance within 40 seconds.
Including the time it took to stack the cases, the actual running time was about 20 to 30 seconds. Therefore, the transporter had to jog to make it in time.
Although the pace was slower than an actual shuttle run, continuing for an extended period was physically demanding.
This went on for about 3 hours, so the fatigue was unbearable.
While several people took turns doing the work, I, who thought I was more physically fit than the average office worker, was exhausted to the point of collapse after just one shift.
This grueling task was eventually improved.
In the end, it was still difficult to install a conveyor belt, but at least there was enough time to walk back and forth.
It was an experience that revived the nightmares of my school days, but it also made me realize the importance of improving the work environment.
This column was published in a collection of know-how to improve on-site skills.
This column is included in the Plant Factory Know-How Collection below.
This know-how collection is packed with useful tips to help you increase profitability, regardless of the specifications or equipment on-site.
This is a must-read for those operating plant factories or indoor farms. Implement the know-how to increase profitability.
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